The Tormented
by YaKuKu
Summary: Lucy Heartfilia became emotionally unstable after Lisanna came back, bringing all the attention to her. She felt lonely, she felt alone. She was in great distress that she had a disease. It was just not a normal disease, it was a curse. She had the Tattooed Curse.
1. Prologue

**TATTOOED CURSE**

An ailment that was never given a specific name, though over the time due to symptoms shown by the patients, it became a curse and was named as, The Tattooed Curse. It was also referred as the "Dream Disease". It is the physical and psychological symptoms that occur to its victims. It is most often connected with the medical conditions of so called Lost Patients.

**Duration: **2-5 months

**Victims: **Survivors and Lost Patients

**Age: **Varies

* * *

The first person who to have this 'curse' was a blacksmith named Jack Lipton (32). It was said that Mr. Lipton's 'curse' started to appear after his wife's tragic death. Mr. Lipton was in deep grief.

He showed no appetite in eating, decreased sleeping hours, lack of concentration and sickness. It was a normal reaction to situations like these but after a month, Mr. Lipton's conditions worsen. He would claim that he can see hallucinations, he would have nightmares, and a great pain would envelop his entire body.

One month passed after that, Mr. Lipton mysteriously disappeared. Only the black ashes/soot was found on his sofa at his house.

* * *

Five months since the incident, a patient disappeared from her ward in XXX Hospital and the police searched for her.

The missing person is the sole survivor of the recently fire accident, Yuri Kuzaki (26).

Ms. Kuzaki became emotionally unstable after the accident. She was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and hospitalized long-term.

The hospital's response to her disappearance went no further than "We are investigating the details."

Ms. Kuzaki lost all her family in the accident and concerns have been raised about her current whereabouts.

* * *

Another incident happened, a mother and daughter who lived in XXX Village went missing. The missing are Marie Season (39) and her daughter, Lari (10).

Since last year, the two have been searching for Season's missing husband. The two reportedly wandered the mountains nearly every day.

The informant says "I hadn't seen them for several days, so I went to visit them. There was no answer, so I went inside, but they were gone. I only saw some black, soot-like marks."

Similar disappearances are being reported across the area and some are calling them "spirited aways."

Over the years, victims who have the same 'disease' increased rapidly.

* * *

**Physical signs/Symptoms**

* * *

**Suffering**

Not all victims will suffer from this symptom ;however, most will. Victims of the curse are usually diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after having suffered through and survived a horrific event. These events usually resulted in the death of a loved one. Another one was great distress;personal problems and mixed emotions.

**Hallucinations**

Seeing figures and/or images that are not physically there.

**Nightmares**

The nightmares the victims experience are usually the same. They described an endless maze, seeing their dead loved ones, other unfamiliar people and a large castle in the middle.

**Chain Tattoos **

At first mistaken by victims as a bruise, this chain pattern slowly grows across the afflicted's body as they succumb more and more to the curse. This pattern will continue to grow until it covers the victim's entire body.

**Lack of reactions**

The victims usually seen as completely still; like daydreaming or dozing off. Indecisiveness.

**Physical Pain**

Attributed to the spread of the tattoo across a victim's body. The pain increases over time.

**Decrease in waking hours**

Curse victims will begin to sleep for longer and longer periods at a time. Medically speaking, this is a normal biological response as a defensive reaction to the pain the victim is suffering from.

**Black Ashes/Soot**

All that remains of victims who have suffered the final stage of the curse.

* * *

**Stages of the curse**

* * *

**1a. Distress/Surviving a traumatic experience **

Victim suffers from a traumatic experience which results in the death of a loved one. Most importantly, they blame themselves for surviving while others did not. According to some researches, half of the victims suffers from problems;outcasted, financial problems, family, mixed emotions.

**1b. Being Dreamed about from a cursed one**  
This stage isn't as common as the one above. In this case, a person already afflicted with the curse dreams about another living friend/loved one. This person in turn becomes cursed even though they have not suffered the death of a loved one or problems.

**2. Having the same dream**

Victim begins to have the same dreams over and over again. (Usually about their problem or those who did not survive)

**3. Endless Maze dream**

These strong feelings 'summon' the Endless Maze Dream. The afflicted will see large walls and if follow the paths, will get lost. A large castle was placed in the middle of the maze, if a person reached it; they 'completed' the maze. In case of passed ones, they see their dead loved one(s), walking in the maze. Victims admit to chasing after their loved one(s), and get lost.

**4. Hallucinations while awake**  
Victims begin to see a bruise/tattoo spread over their bodies, they complain of pain, and start to see figures and images that aren't there.

**5. Decrease in waking hours**  
Victims begin to sleep for longer and longer periods of time, up to several days at a time. Victims, presumed after a month, will get into a comatose-like state

**6. Tattoo Covers Entire Body**  
At one point, victims suffering from the curse can no longer 'wake up'. The tattoo covers their entire body and enters their eyes.

**7. Disappearance**

This occurs 2 to 5 months after the first stage (dreaming of the maze). The victim disappears entirely, leaving only traces of black ashes or soot where their body once lay. At this stage, the victim has completely succumbed to the curse and is presumably dead.

* * *

**A/N: **Okay! My third story!

I'm sure a few of you people would recognized this, if not it's loosely based on the game** Fatal Frame **or **Project Zero **or **Zero**.

As you can see, I edited some parts. This will not like be the game, but there will be elements from it.

Incase you haven't played any of the games, there will not be spoilers of it (I hope?). I haven't played any of the game but it's already my fave game. Weird right?

Anyway, this is still the **prologue**

I **will** update this. I don't know when because I still have 2 unfinished stories (I don't know what came over me to write another one) and I always have a major writer's block. But I will update this!

Have an awesome day to you!


	2. STAGE 1

I sat on a stool at bar, sipping my milkshake, alone.

I jumped in surprise as chair was thrown not too far from where I sat. Not a second even pass, a person this time was thrown. I sighed as I tried to block out the ruckus of glass breaking, table and chairs crashing, shouting and other things. Yes, this is a party. Fairy Tail style.

They've been partying since Lisanna, the one who they thought was dead, came back. I was left out though. Of course, Lisanna deserves the attention but I still can't help but feel left out. I think it's been a long time since I had a chat with anyone, saved for some people, especially my team. I feel...lonely.

Sighing, I stood up from my seat to go to the board to take a job. I dodged things as I finally made it in front of the board to take an easy but still have a challenge job. I went to Mirajane after I chose a job.

"Ah...hey, Mira..." Mirajane was happily chatting with her sister, it took a minute for her to notice me. I sighed.

"Ah hey, Lucy. Sorry I didn't noticed you there." Mirajane said guiltily. She knew what I was going through, she tried to talk to me but she terribly missed her sister, so we haven't talked in a long time. I smiled wearily to her.

"It's okay. Hey, I will go to this job. Mind if you sign it?" Mirajane was about to sign it but she hesitated after reading it.

"Are you sure...about this? All by...yourself?" Her eyes filled with worry and concern, I closed my own eyes to not see it.

"Yeah. Come on, I can't take that! I will be stronger." She was still doubtful but she signed it. "Be careful, Lucy...and I'm sorry..."

I sighed as I chewed my lips. "No need to apologize Mira...and yeah, I'll be careful..." I walked past her and to the doors of the guild. I stopped when I was about to push the door open, looking behind me to my nakama. I guess they didn't notice me, huh. I shook my head to clear out thoughts and with all of my will, pushed the door open.

I didn't noticed two pair of eyes watching me as I left.

* * *

I stretched my arms, wincing when I felt my joints popped. The mission to take out bandits was hard but I've managed it and thanks to my celestial spirits, but still it doesn't saved me from getting wrapped up in this bandages. I sighed of relief as I saw my guild in the distance. I wonder...how's everyone.

Just standing before the doors I can already hear the ruckus inside. I smiled softly. I pushed the doors open and true enough, bodies and broken things everywhere. I decided to not say 'I'm home' because they will not hear me, instead I dodged things or bodies being thrown.

"Lucy-san! Welcome back! Good work, now let me heal you!" Wendy came running to me. I am really grateful for our little sky dragon. Mostly I talked to my fellow newcomers, since they didn't know Lisanna that well like the old guild members were.

"Thank you very much Wendy!" I thanked Wendy after being enveloped in her healing magic. I stretched my arms, satisfied hearing the joints popped but it's not hurting like before.

I went to the bar, seeing Mirajane cleaning there, and sat on a stool.

"Lucy! Welcome back!" Mirajane happily said but concern filled her as she eyed my bandages. "Are you all right there?"

"Yeah! No need to worry, Wendy healed them. The mission is hard but I managed, see?" I showed her my non-existent muscles making her giggled.

"That's great then!" We chatted for a while, Levy came and we also talked. After an hour, I spotted Natsu coming towards me, Lisanna by his side. I suddenly got a feeling this isn't good.

"Hey Luce!" Natsu smiled his toothy grin, Lisanna smiled also but like her sister, she eyed my injuries with concern but I waved it off saying I'm okay.

"Hey Natsu...need something?" I felt awkward, since we haven't talk for like years, but I'm exaggerating, it's only like months.

"Yeah, could you leave Team Natsu? Since Lisanna came back and we want to go missions, you know?" direct to the point, huh? I swallowed the lump on my throat as I stared at him shocked. What I'm hearing is not real, right? Right? Tell me, it's not...real...

I looked away from his face, closing my eyes to draw back the tears that want to come out. No, it can't be...please, no...but I don't want to be selfish, I mean yeah I like to do that when someone who I though died came back... My lips shivered.

I turned my head to look at his face, I swallowed the lump again feeling my heart crushing to tiny pieces. But no, you can't be selfish Lucy. T-there's still my other friends, it's not like I'm being kick out of the guild. I tried to encouraged myself.

"Ah...y-yeah, s...sure...I can u-u-understand..." I almost broke down there but I held my ground. His grin got bigger as I said that.

"Thanks Luce!" he said happily to me, turning away to the others to tell the news, Lisanna in tow but before she can take another step, she turned her head to me with a guilty expression on her face.

"Ah...Lucy-chan I-"

"It's okay Lisanna..." I cut her off, I want to clear my mind now. "It's okay...go." She bit her lip as she stared at me for a few seconds before turning away also. Here I am now, watching them, my _former_ nakama, walk away. He didn't even ask me if I'm okay...

I sighed wearily, closing my eyes and thankfully the tears were gone now.

So much has happened for today...

* * *

**A/N: **Yoooo! Like I said right? I updated! xDD yeah this was short because I rushed and wrote this 4 in the morning -.-, but the next chapters are longer and probably better? xDDD

Thanks everyone!

Have an awesome day to you!


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